Pneumatic tire



June 19, 1923. 1,459,529

T. GRIFFITHS PNEUMATI C T IRE Filed May 16. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 19, 1923.

T. GRIFFITHS PNEUMATIC TIRE- 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16. 1922 )i /vbm 4 %"ff "b @MJHB 11'15 Qhqqa Patented June 19, 1923.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS GRIFFITHS, OF KENSINGTON, LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

PNEUMATIC TIRE.

Application filed May 16, 1922. Serial No. 561,525.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, THOMAS GRIFFITHS, a subject of the King of England, residing at 7 Patteson Street, Kensington. Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Pneumatic Tires, of

' which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the inner tubes of pneumatic wheel'tires, of the type in which the tube is longitudinally or circumferentially divided by india-rubber partitions into a plurality of separate and independent inflatable compartments, so that in the event of deflation of a compartment through puncture another or other com-part ment or compartments will remain'intact.

According to the present invention, an inner tube is divided by means of two, normally unstretched, india-rubber partitions into three longitudinal or circumferential compartments, the arrangement of said partitions being such as to ensure a substantial distance being provided between the points of union of the partitions with the wall of the tube at the tread po'rtion thereof. Thus the risk of puncture of the partitions themselves is minimized.

A further characteristic of my invention is the provision on the tread portion of the tube, in line with the oints of union of the partitions with the tu e wall, of longi tudinal or circumferential beads or projections which are designed to prevent the spreading or extension of a puncture in the wall from one compartment to another, to give protection to the partitions, and also to deflect the point of a thorn or other thing which might otherwise pierce a partition.

I will further describe my invention with the aid of the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings showing transverse sections of the tube, and in which drawing:--

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a pneumatic tire showing all the compartments thereof inflated;

2 is a similar view showing one of the side compartments deflated;

ig. 3 is a similar view showing an intermediate compartment of the tire deflated Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating a reverse condition of that shown in Fig. 2

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing both oi the s1de compartments deflated;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showinga side compartment and an intermediate compartment deflated, and

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing-the reverse of that illustrated in Fig. -6.

a, a a denotethe tube wall and b and c the longitudinal or circumferential partitions. It will be observed that a substantial distance is provided between the points 6 0 of union of partitions b, c with the tube at the tread portion a.

(Z d indicate rounded longitudinal or circumferential beads or projections which are formed on the tread portion a of the tube in line with the points b c of union of par-' titions b a with the tube. a

Fig. 1 shows the tube when the three compartments e, f and 9 created by the two partitions b, c are intact.

In Fig. 2 compartment 6 is deflated through the puncturing of the portion a,

of the tube wall; compartments 7 and g are inflated. a

-In Fig. 3 compartment 7 is deflated through the puncturing ofthe tread portion a of the tube wall; compartments 6 and g are inflated.

In Fig. 4 compartment 9 is deflated through the puncturing of the portion a I of the tube wall; compartmentse and f are inflated.

In Fig. 5 compartment e and gare deflated through the puncturing of the portions a and a of the tube wall; compartment f is inflated.

In Fig. 6 compartments e and f are deflated through the tions a and a of t ment 9 is inflated. ,1

In Fig. 7 compartments 7 and g are deflated through the puncturing of the pore tube wall; comparttions a and a of the tube wall; compart- I 9O uncturingof the porpartitions having parallel lines of union of the tube, and exterior beads opposite the W with the base portion "of the tube andwith lines of union of the partition edges with the tread portlon of the tube,-.the spacing the tread portion of the tube. Y of the tread edges of the Partitions being In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 5 greater than the spacing 0 the base edges in the presence of two witnesses.

of the partitions, thev arrangement of said V THOMAS GRIFFITHS. partitions being such 'as to insure a. substan- Witnesses:

tial distance being provided between the EMILY BURNETT, lines of union of the partitions with the well J. GREGORY. 

